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The following was previously published in the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance Bronzeback Bulletin We as river fishermen are affected by current in all aspects of our fishing experience. How many of us really understand how it functions and how it affects our fishing? This will be the first in a series of articles I plan to write about current, current situations and objects in the water that affect current flow. The fisrt article will be the primer, so to speak, of the series. To start with, gravity moves water downhill, this movement is what we call current. The steeper the gradient, the faster the current flow. Riffles and runs are what we associate with this faster flow. What we think of as pools are places where the gradient decreases and/or there is an obstuction that slows the current. The gradient is the inclination or slope of the land's surface in the direction of the flow. The velocity of the flow is affected by several other factors. They are discharge, which is a quantity of water passing through any cross section in a given unit of time and the form-ratio, which is the proportion of the depth to the width of the stream. Water temperatures have some effect as warm water is more fluid than cold water. In straight flows the maximum velocity occurs in midstream near the surface. In bends the maximum velocity occurs near the surface on the outside of the curve. There are two types of flow recognized in limnological texts. Laminar flow is more or less defined as all the water moving in a parallel course in one direction. These texts state that laminar flow is seldom found in nature. Turbulent flow is defined as multiple eddies in a variety of sizes with all the water moving in all directions as the main flow goes downstream. This mixing of the water is caused by friction with the air-water interface, the bottom of the river, the shoreline and any obstructions in the water's path. This friction that slows the flow and the upper water that moves faster rolls and mixes the water which aids in the distribution of oxygen from top to bottom. The difference in flow rates from top to bottom contributes to the bow in your line as you fish. Fish hold on the bottom of rivers because the drag of friction on moving water significantly lowers current velocity. This creates an area you can think of as a slack water zone. The slackwater zone is a place where fish can hold and conserve energy. They can hold until they need to move for reasons of survival, i.e. predation, changing water levels or spawning. This bottom slack zone is where most of the fish will be found most of the time. Where do you think you should be fishing? The larger the objects on the bottom of the river and the faster the current flow the larger this slack zone will be. These two factors- size of objects and current velocity- can cause distrubances on the surface of the water that we note when reading the water. The Law of Fluid Dynamics also affects current flow. This involves Conservation of Momentum if I understand the texts correctly. Basically what I got from this was that water does not like to bend as it goes around corners and when the velocity of water decreases it's pressure increases. Please don't ask me to go into great detail as that was rwo aspirin reading. When water hits the front of an obstruction it stops and moves sideways toward the current flow. It also moves both toward the bottom and the surface at this point. You may get a visible bulge on the surface if when the speed decreases the increase in pressure is enough to push water up in the surface. You can also get a slackwater pocket at the base of the obstruction due to these changes. This pocket, if it forms, is a key feeding area for the most dominant predator in that spot. On the downstream side of the obstruction you get another slackwater area. This is because water does not like to bend. The size of this slackwater area is limited only because the pressure of the faster water going around the obstruction is lower than the higher pressure of the slower water in the slack area. this causes a mixing of the waters as it moves from the slacker water to the faster water. The turbulence from this mixing is what we think of as a current seam. The slackwater area gets narrower as you look downstream because it's losing it's energy to the lower pressure of the faster downstream flow. A slackwater pocket forms at the base of a riffle[lift] on both the upstream and downstream sides of the riffle. This pocket is an excellent feeding area especially in warmer water. As the faster moving lower pressure water moves over the top of the slower moving higher pressure water mixing occurs limiting the size of the slackwater area. This causes the turbulence which is a familar sight to river anglers. On the upstream side of the riffle the bulge that is present is a result of water being pushed up by the change in water pressure. When a river bends the current picks up speed on the outside edge and a current seam forms on the inside edge where the current slows. The faster current on the outside moves sediment and carves away at the bed and bank of the river. This is why you have deeper water on the outside of a river bend. The slower current allows sediment to be deposited on the inside which is why the water is shallower and you get that familar point bar at that location. if the angle of the bend is sufficient an eddy is formed. In this eddy friction with the bottom and the shore further slows the current. This variety of current speeds, depth changes, changes in the direction of the current and slackwater zones make this a place for holding out of current and for excellent feeding opportunities. Turbidity in a river is the presence of suspended solids in the water. Turbidity reduces the transmission of light either thru scattering or absorption. This reduction in light can affect water temps, the amount of aquactic vegetation, fish location and fish activity levels. From what I read the amount of sediment load can affect current velocity in different ways due to a number of different factors. The consensus seemed to be that with a higher sediment load there would be a slight reduction in velocity once everything was factored in. Once again this was two aspirin reading that would require lots of specific details to go any further. Now for a brief primer in reading water. Start by looking at the surface for differences in speed and the seams created by those changes. Look to changes in curent direction, turbulence such as boils and bulges, slicks and changes in water color that denote differences in depths, You should look for areas where the current narrows forming feeding lanes that concentrate food washing downstream. If you can see a foam line that is an excellent way to track feeding lanes. If multiple foam lines or feeding lanes converge that can be a key spot for the most dominant predator in the area. Look for objects in the water or in the shoreline that can deflect current influencing current direction. Next look for objects in the water that can serve as ambush points for feeding or for cover when fish are spooked by predators or careless, heavy footed fishermen. Remember that boils on the surface indicate the presence of underwater objects that can hold fish. These boils will be downstream of the object, just how far depends on the size of the object and the current velocity. I know this was a little technical but hopefully it will help those new to river fishing. It may also offer new insights to crumudgedy old river rats.

Now that the fishing show season is upon us, how do you approach fishing shows? Is it just a way to get out of the house, maybe a quick fix for cabin fever or a chance at a deal on some gear? None of those are bad ideas but it can be so much more.

You can learn from sitting in on seminars, especially if the person giving it knows his stuff and folks ask intelligent questions at the end of the presentation. If you really liked what they said ask for contact information and follow up on it. You may find that you get much more detailed answers to your questions when the "pro" has time to answer at his/her leisure.

You should take the time to talk to tackle reps and those that design and sell tgeir own lures. You might be amazed at what you don't know about your favorite gear and could be in for a real treat with some of the new stuff. If you can use your gear in the most efficient way possible, that usually helps maximize your enjoyment of your sometimes considerable investment.

When walking around, don't just look at the goodies either. Take time out to talk to the"pros" that may be at the booths. If you are polite and catch them when there isn't a lot of traffic you can converse with them and really learn a lot if you ask intelligent questions.

Whoever you talk and ask questions of, be sure to thank them. Don't be afraid to ask if you can buy them a coke or something to eat. I've pulled my share of shifts at booths, it often is very appreciated. Sometimes an invitation to dinner after the show is also accepted and can lead to a long term relationship.

I've heard people complain about cabin fever this time of year. Either ice fishing doesn't appeal to them or it just doesn't give them the same bang as casting and feeling their lure working in the current. They have rearranged their tackle, watched fishing shows on TV and walked the aisles of the tackle store and yet they still jones for that fishing buzz.

The lakes are froze over and besides it's too cold to fish. Bullspit. Why not get out on your local river and wet a line. As a good friend of mine quipped, "The fish are already cold and wet," You, of course, want to stay dry and the dealing with the cold is mostly mental and dressing right.

Many rivers have treatment plants that put warmer water in all winter and stay open. On others inflows such as drain pipes, storm sewer pipes or tributaries contribute warmer water that give you fishable water. If the weather doesn't get too cold, the nature of moving water keeps rivers open.

I was out today on a local river and picked up 2 smallies and 1 walleye. Even though most of the shore was rimmed with ice, I found enough fishable water to make a day of it. I still have enough places left to make a day of it tomorrow as well. Maybe you should quit complaining about cabin fever and get on out there.